Children of a Lesser God

[...Cultural descendents of the eunuchs of the Mughal court, most hijras today earn their living as prostitutes, beggars or dancers.....Pakistan’s cities have sizable hijras communities, but it is uncertain in which category the state places them....]

Are you kidding? Pakistan is a nation of hijjras. The Pak army is a hijra army that has lost every war it has fought and kills/subjugates its own citizens. And the Pak people are hijras to put up with these hijras in the army!!

Dear Author,

I was not forthcoming enough in my praise. Thank you for a very informative, piece that has been written with a great deal of compassion, a quality we so often lack when dealing with the subject at hand.

re. Faiz #6: ``i think they only deprived of being married otherwise they could live a life of a normal person. Why they opted for prostitutes, beggars or dancers and left their houses.``

In most places, they cannot live the life of a normal person simply because they are NOT treated as such. Someone asks why they do not take up physical labour. They answer, I think, would be that they are heckled and `touched` out of such jobs by the `real` men they would have to work alongside. Real insecure men, that is.

People, especially people from marginalized groups, tend to take to their prescribed roles in society in order to achieve some perverse sense of acceptance. Fighting against such societal-sanctioned roles takes a lot of self-esteem and confidence-- not exactly the forte of individuals who are made to feel inferior from their cradles.

Dear Author, thanks for highlighting this issue.

I also thought over several times our discriminatory altitude towards this unidentified sex and their plight.

If our Govt give all rights of a normal person then they would not opted for these taboos.

i think they only deprived of being married otherwise they could live a life of a normal person.Why they opted for prostitutes, beggars or dancers and left their houses.

``most hijras today earn their living as prostitutes, beggars or dancers.``

I wonder why? I have seen most of them to be hatta katta enough to do any physical labor but on the other hand it might be the demand side of the equation that may compel them to supply their services as prostitutes and dancers.

They should follow the lead of their couterparts in India and do things for themselves and make sh*t happen for themselves as Pak govt. or ppl will do jack to help them.

They`re going to have to be proactive in trying to make society at least tolerant of them.

Dear Author,

What does Islam say about hijras? Does it even mention them?

Dear Author,

Nice idea but Pakistan has a long way to go before it starts recognizing eunuchs, there`s a long waiting list which includes ethnic, religious minorities, women folks and children.

Good reading, thanks

Thanks for the piece. What are your scholarly sources?